Jacob a



J. A. HYLE.

METALLIC RAILWAY TIE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3!. 1915.

1,194,843. Patente dAug. 15,1916.

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15, 1916. HEET Patent METALLI APPLICATION C RAILWAY TlE.

man DEC. 3!, 1915.

\\\ Ill i \N aw UNITED STATES BATENT OFFICE.

JACOB A. HYLE, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-THIRD TO JAMES A. TWITCHELL- AND ONE-FOURTH T0 THEODORE E. VON DORN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND ONE-SIXTH TO JOHN MoE. AMES, OF CANEY, KANSAS.

METALLIC RAILWAY-TIE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB A. HYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Railway-Ties, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in railway ties for steam and electric railways of various kinds.

The main object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable, economical and ellicient metal railway tie possessing sufficient strength to successfully withstand the strains to which the tie is subjected when in service and which is so constructed that the longevity of the same is materially increased.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combined metallic and concrete or asphaltum railway tie, in connection with wooden blocks constituting a resilient support for the track rails and a thorough and reliable insulation of the rails so as to render them efficient as conductors in the usual automatic electrical signaling systems.

A further object of this invention is to so construct a metallic railway tie that it will be prevented from lateral and longitudinal movement or skidding action during the passage of the rolling stock over the track rails. And still further objects of the invention are to so construct a metallic railway tie whereby oneor. both of the wooden blocks used in connection therewith may be readily removed therefrom and a new block placed therein without removing the tie, or in any manner disturbing the position or location of the track rail or ballast beneath the tie to provide improved means for safely and firmly securing the wooden blocks to the tie thereby maintaining absolute safety in the gage of the track rails, and to secure the track rails in their proper position upon the wooden blocks by means of the ordinary rail-fastening devices of the kind now in general use and ordinarily employed for the purpose of securing the track rails to a wooden tie.

The foregoing and such other objects as may occur from the ensuing description, are attained by the means hereinafter more fully described, and by the combination,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 31, 1915. Serial No. 69,565.

construction, arrangement and location of the parts such as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and particularly set forth in the claims appended hereto.

Reference now being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which similar numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, it will be seen that F igure 1-, is a perspective view of the improved railway tie embodying my invention. Fig. 2, represents a plan view of the same. Fig. 3, is a central longitudinal section of my improved railway tie. Fig. 4, is an inverted plan view of the tie. Fig. 5, is a transverse sectional view taken through the tie and wooden block and showing one of the block securing clamps partly in section and one of the securing bolts in full lines, and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail perspective views showing means for securing the wooden block in its proper position within the tie. V

In carrying out my invention I provide a railway tie of suitable or desirable dimensions throughout its length and breadth and the metallic portion of said tie with which my invention. is embodied in the form illustrated in the drawings, comprises a metallic shell formed from a sheet of any suitable metal preferably of steel bent up into substantially trough shape, with vertical side walls 1, and a substantially flat bottom 2. This trough shaped metallic shell by reason of its form, is quite rigid and yet possesses a sufficient inherent resiliency to relieve the rolling stock from vibrations incident to an absolute rigid bed, but in order to augment this effect, as well as to secure advantages which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the track rails are not supported directly on the metal portion of the tie but are preferably seated on a metal plate 3, which rests upon the upper surface of a wooden block 4, said block projecting a suitable distance above the metallic tie, one block located near each end of the tie, and said blocks 4, are fitted into the trough-shaped body portion of the tie in proper position with relation to the ends of the tie for receiving the rails, the size of the blocks being sufficient to afford the necessary strength to support the track rails and retain the rail fastening means such as nail or screw-threaded spikes 5, ordinarily employed for securing the track rails to a wooden tie, which spikes are driven through the openings 6 in the metal plate 3, or if preferred the spikes may be driven directly into the wooden blocks permitting the overhanging head of the spike to rest upon the upper surface of the base flange 7, of the track rail 8.

The wooden blocks -l, are first preferably impregnated with oil or creosote to increase their durability and are constructed rectangular in cross-section and adapted to fit snugly and accurately within the troughshaped body of the tie, if desired, the dimensions being uniform, so that the blocks may be turned up-side-down or either side may be utilized as the top or track rail sup porting surface. The wooden blocks projeet a suitable distance above the upper portion of the metallic tie, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, :2 and 5, thus properly insulating the track rails from the metallic tie at all times, and avoiding contact of the rails with the said tie. The blocks are firmly and securely clamped in place by stay straps which extend entirely across the top of the block and downward to a point about the middle or lower portion of the body of the tie, at which point the said block are secured by bolts passing entirely through the said straps, metallic tie and wooden block.

The fastening means preferably employed for rigidly securing each block within the body portion of the tie, such as illustrated in the drawings, consists of two strong upright metallic straps or clamping bars 9, each strap or clamp extending entirely across and in contact with the upper surface of the block, and projecting downward to a point about the middle or lower portion of the side walls or body of the metallic tie, at which point each end of the clamp is provided with an opening 10, adapted to receive a' securing bolt 11 which passes entirely through the said clamping bar, the metallic tie and perforations through the wooden block, said clamping bar being provided at each de pending side thereof with an inwardly projecting shouldered portion 12, adapted to overlap the upper edge of the tie, and each securing bolt 11 is screw-threaded at one end to receive a fastening nut 13, and formed with a square head at its other end.

In order to insure safety by preventing the wooden blocks from spreading apart in the event the securing bolts should become broken or otherwise impaired, I provide at the outside of each block a strong metallic right angle brace bar 14, one arm 15 resting in contact with the outer side of the block, and the other arm 16 in contact with the inner surface of the body portion of the tie, said arm 16 having an opening 17 there F through adapted to receive a fastening bolt 18, provided with a securing nut 19, whereby the said brace bar is firmly secured to the body portion of the tie, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

By the use of the block securing means hereinbefore referred to, it will be seen that there can be no shifting movement of the blocks without moving the entire tie and track rail supporting means thereby insuring and maintaining the proper gage of the track rails.

The bottom portion of the tie from one block to the other is provided with a series of transverse depressions 20 on the inside and forming depending ribs 21 on the outside of the bottom extending entirely across the tie, which ribs 21 project into the road bed or track ballast thereby serving to prevent any lateral, longitudinal or skidding action of the railway ties during the strains to which they are usually subjected.

In order to increase the weight and ballasting qualities of the tie, it is preferably filled with concrete or asphaltum between the wooden blocks, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and the upper edge portion of each of the side walls between the said blocks are bent inward to form inward overhanging flanges 22, which serve together with the depressions 20 in the bottom of the tie to lock the concrete or asphaltum within the tie while in use or when being shipped or moved from one place-to another. This filling material being solid serves to prevent the tie from rusting inside between the wooden blocks and thereby materially increase its longevity.

It will be understood that the metal securing clamps 9 are sufliciently separated from the track rail, and the metal seat plate 3 as to avoid contact therewith, and the blocks being wood constitute an insulator, thereby preventing interference with the use of electric signaling means.

It will be readily perceived that with a structure of the character herein set forth, ifzthe blocks should rot or become unfit for further use they can be replaced without the employment of a number of men, since any one laborer can, after the removal of the ballast, which it will be understood fills the space in the tie between each wooden block and the outer end of the tie, withdraw the bolts and spikes, knock the block out of place and replace it with a new one, without in any manner disturbing the position or location of the tie, track rails or ballast surrounding the tie, so that by keeping the road bed entire and without disturbing the surface of the track is comparatively ineXpensive and a great saving of labor over the old method of removing and inserting ties.

It will be evident that the metal plate 3 constituting a seat for the track rail may be entirely dispensed with, if desired, and the rail seated upon the upper surface of the block, thus affording as much resiliency as the ordinary wooden tie.

The wooden blocks are so located within the tie as to be well protected and when impregnated with oil or treated with creosote will last much longer than the ordinary wood tie. The blocks employed by me are inexpensive, since I can use up the ends of logs and other pieces of wood that would ordinarily be considered as waste material.

It will be seen that the block securing means firmly clamps the block across its entire upper surface, and at each side thereof, so that when the fastening bolts are firmly secured the fibers of the wooden block are compressed solidly together, hence the liability of the splitting of the blocks by driving or screwing the rail fastening spikes therein is prevented, and the blocks cannot shrink and split like the ordinary wood tie.

It will be obvious that slight changes in the details of the construction hereinbefore described may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A railway tie comprising a metallic plate having vertical side walls, a wooden block fitted between the side walls near each end of the tie, clamping bars extending across the upper surface and depending on each side in contact with said block, said bars being separated from the base of the track rail, a right angle bar secured within the tie intermediate the height of the tie with one arm resting against the outer side surface of the block and the other arm bolted to the body portion of the tie, and transverse bolts passing through the clamps, side walls and block for securely fastening the block within the tie.

2. A railway tie comprising a metallic plate having vertical side walls, a wo den block fitted between the side walls near each end of the tie, clamping bars extending across the upper surface and depending on each side in contact with said block, each side of each bar having an inward projecting shoulder fitted over the upper end of each side wall, and each of said bars being separated from the base of the rail, :1 right angle bar secured within the tie intermediate the height of the tie with one arm resting against the outer side surface of the block and the other arm firmly bolted to the body portion of the tie, and transverse securing bolts passing through the clamps, side walls and block.

3. A railway tie comprising a metallic plate having vertical side walls, a wooden block fitted between the side walls near each end thereof and projecting above the side i walls, clamping bars extending across the walls, clamping bars extending across the upper surface and depending on each side in contact with said block, said bars being separated from the base of the track rail, a filling of concrete between said vertical walls and blocks, a. series of depressions and ribs extending transversely across the bottom of the tie, transverse bolts for securing the clamping bars to the blocks and tie, and an inward integral extension formed at the upper end portion of each of the side walls between the said blocks.

5. A railway tie comprising a metallic plate having vertical side walls, a wooden block fitted between the side walls near each end thereof and projecting above the side walls, clamping bars extending across the upper surface and depending on each side in contact with said block, each side of each bar having an inward projecting shoulder fitted over the upper end of each side wall, and each bar being separated from the base of the track rail, a filling of concrete between said vertical walls and blocks, a series of depressions and ribs extending transversely across the bottom of the tie, transverse bolts for securing the clamping bars to the blocks and tie, and an inward integral extension formed at the upper end portion of each of the side walls between the said blocks.

6. A railway tie comprising a metallic plate having vertical side walls, a wooden block fitted between the side walls near each end of the tie and projecting above said walls, clamping bars extending across the upper surface and depending on each side of and in contact with said block, said bars being separated from the base of the track rail, a right angle bar secured within the tie with one arm resting against the outer side securing the clamping bars to the blocks and tie.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB A. HYLE.

WVitnesses HENRY E. GAUDY, FRANK C. SOHLITT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

